Improvement in wheelbarrows



N. noLLANn @11. F. VAN Hoonnf.

` lWheel-Barrows.

No.167.l98. l l PatentedAug.31,1a75.

".PETERS, PHOTO-LITHDGRAPHER. WASHNGTON. D. C.

UNITED ,STAEs EErcE NESTOR ROLLAND AND JEAN FRANQOIS VAN HOORDE, OF HENSIES,

BELGIUM.

IMPROVEMENT IN `WHEELBARROWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 167,198, dated August 3l, 1875; application filed January 21, 1875.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that we, NESTOR ROLLAND and JEAN FRANors VAN HooRDE, both of the city of Hensies, in the Province of Hainaut and Kingdom of Belgium, have in vented new and useful Improvements in Wheelbarrows, of which the following is a specification Our invention consists in applying a spiral or other spring to the thills of a wheelbarrow on each side of the axle of the wheel, in such a manner that the axle shall press or rest against said springs. The wheel,bein g mountedloosely on the axle, revolves around it, so that when the barrow and load are wheeled along, the weight thereof is borne by the springs, thereby facilitating the propelling, and obviating the jarring and consequent fatigue incident to wheeling barrows having their axles in rigid bearings, and at the same time a saving in wear is effected.

But that our invention may be fully understood, we will describe the same in detail by aid ofthe accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a side elevation of a wheelbarrow embodying our invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views of slight modifications of the same, and Fig. 4 is a vertical elevation ofthe spring guide or barrel. y

A is the Wheelbarrow, and B is the wheel, which in this case does not revolve with the axle O, but, on the contrary, revolves around such axle, being mounted loosely there0n,while the axle is stationary. i

The axle C has its extremities flattened or square. These extremities rest in a notch or recess formed in the upper part of the thills D, Fig. l, or the extremities may have their bearings in loose bearing-blocks, as shown by Figs. 2 and 3.

Eis the barrel or spring-guide, around the outside of which the spring is slipped. The lower end of the spring F rests upon two horizontal ears or projections, c, formed on each side of the barrel or guide E, and by means of which it is vsecured to the thills D, as shown by Figs. l, 2, and 4. The barrel or springguide E is provided with a verticalu central notch or slot,in which the squared or iiattened extremities of the axle C, abutting against or resting on the spring F, move up and down as the wheelbarrow is depressed by the jars caused by the inequalities of the surface over which it is wheeled. The spring. F is held in position on the barrel E by means of' a cap or plate, e1, held in place by a screw-rod, c2, afxed to the top ofthe barrel or guide E, and a nut. To this barrel E, by means ofthe screw nut e2, one end of the braces Gr is secured, the other end of said braces G being secured to and brace the back of the wheelbarrow, as shown by Figs. 'l and 2.

The spring guide or barrell E may be made hollow, andthe springF inclosed therein, as shown by Fig. 2. In this case the movable cap or plate e1 may be dispensed with, while at the same time the barrel E may be made of any ornamental configuration. Instead of a spiral spring a carriage spring, or one-half ot' a carriage-sprin g, F, may be used, as shown by Fig. 3. When one-half of a carriage-spring is used, We aflx one end of it to one of the vertical standardsl of a rectangular frame, L, the other or free end resting on the squaredl end of the axle, or on the bearing-block ofthe axle.

To insure the vertical motion of the spring and axle, a guide-rod, Z1, is. affixed to the top of the bearing-block, traversing and projecting above the horizontal arm of the rectangular frame L, an other guide-rod, Z2, being aiixed below the bearin g-blocl; ofthe axl e,traversin g and projecting below the thill; or two guiderods may beaftixed on the upper portionof tllethill, and the horizontal arm of the rectangular frame L, between which the axle O is free to move up and down.

It is evident that by these means a simple and effective device is provided, by means of which the great fatigue arising from the constant jarring of' the body when wheeling a loaded barrow over almost any surface is avoided, as well as a great saving effected in the wear of the barrow, while the cost of construction of our improved barrow is not much above the cost of an ordinary barrow, owing to the fact that they may be made of much lighter material.

Having described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. The combination, iu a Wheelbarrow having its wheel loosely mounted on the axle, as set forth,of the axle C with the spring-guide or barrel E and spring' F, affixed outside or inclosed within the barrel E, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the barrow A, braces G, and spring,` barrel or guide E, substantially as speoitied.

3. In awheelbarrow having its wheel loosely mounted on the axle, the axle C, in combination with a spring, F, the frame L, guide-rods l1 l2, and the braces Gr, substantially as and for the purposes shown and described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing, We have hereunto set our hands this 7 th day of October, 1874.

J. F. VAN HOORDE. NESTOR RQLLAND. Witnesses:

J. COULMIER, G. DELEssART.

MH i Y Y 

